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CNN Saturday Morning News

Young Americans Help Out in Relief Efforts

Aired September 22, 2001 - 11:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The terrorist attacks in America are bringing out the best in a lot of Americans, both old and young.

They were too young to donate blood, but that sure didn't stop four young Virginia girls and their friends from grabbing some buckets and some water to raise money for the American Red Cross.

From Alexandria, Virginia, we want to introduce you to the Welch sisters. Hi, girls.

ASHLEY WELCH, AGE 16: Hi.

AUBREY WELCH, AGE 15: Hi.

ALANA WELCH, AGE 14: Hi.

ALYSSA WELCH, AGE 10: Hi.

KELLEY: Hi. Can you kind of wave to us as I introduce each one of you? Ashley, which one are you? There we go. Aubrey? And is it A-LA-na or A-LAY-na?

ALANA WELCH: A-LA-na.

KELLEY: Alana, thank you. And Alyssa. Girls, we are so delighted to have you joining us. Ashley, tell us how this started out. Kind of scary, it involved your dad.

ASHLEY WELCH: Yes. My dad, actually he used to have an office in the Pentagon, and he also had a meeting there about, oh, half an hour after what had happened. And he goes back and forth between Crystal City and the Pentagon all the time.

So as soon as we found out about the plane hitting the Pentagon, all of us kind of freaked. And we were trying to call our parents. It took me almost two hours to get a hold of my mom to make sure that my dad was OK. And I didn't see my dad until about 6:00 that evening.

KELLEY: And then Aubrey, when did you guys decide that you could do something, that you could do something to make a difference?

AUBREY WELCH: Well, because of all the devastation, we realized, you know, we're not the only ones with parents in the Pentagon. And if we were this upset when our dad survived, we just can't imagine other people, how they're feeling, who lost people. So we wanted to do something.

So my mom and her friend came up with the idea of a car wash, and we took the idea and we ran. And that Saturday, we had four car washes in just this little one-mile vicinity, and we raised over $10,000 in five hours.

KELLEY: Yes, that's what I was going to ask you Alana, how much money you've raised. So $10,000, but you're going to do it for a couple of weekends. How's the business today? We see some action going on behind you. How's it going today?

ALANA WELCH: Oh, it's been great. We started around 9:00, and at 11:00 we had already raised -- was it...

ASHLEY WELCH: Eight hundred.

ALANA WELCH: ... $800. I mean, that was just amazing. I was really surprised. I mean, it's great, the support that we're getting from everybody is just amazing, and we really appreciate anybody and everybody who comes and helps to donate.

KELLEY: Alyssa, tell, tell, tell folks what you're doing and what people are saying to you. We're so proud of you.

ALYSSA WELCH: Well, we are trying to help. We're washing cars and everything. We are selling lemonade. And we're -- we have, like, doughnuts, and it's working out good.

KELLEY: Yes, even the gas station that you guys were in (inaudible) part of the time has even lowered their price. Talking about lemonade, let me show folks too, in my neighborhood I had a note in my mailbox, and we can show you. It said, "Dear neighbor, please help the victims of Tuesday's tragedy by visiting our lemonade stand on Sunday between 12 noon and 2:00, and all monies raised will go the Red Cross. Thank you." And that was from Evan in our neighborhood.

And then they had lemonade, and they had the little ribbon you see there at the bottom. They put Velcro around the edge. And it says, "Hold America Together." So that's what I wear on my wrist. So that was one of the things that I got from, you know, the kids in our neighborhood.

What has it, what has it taught you, Ashley, to get involved in this?

ASHLEY WELCH: I've learned so many lessons from just this week, it's unbelievable. I think that the biggest thing it's taught me is that even though I'm only, like, 16, I can't even donate blood, but I can make a big difference, just getting some friends together and doing whatever I can think of to raise money for the Red Cross.

KELLEY: Well, Aubrey, what have your friends said to you? There are other people who want to get involved. And I know you put together a Web site, washamerica.org, and a congressman -- let me just see if I can find my notes -- I think it's Mr. Davis, yes, Tom Davis, and Senator John Warner, they've put together a resolution, and they would like for this Wash America and help wash away the hurt to go for at least three weekends.

So how long will you keep going? And what's the enthusiasm for the project?

AUBREY WELCH: Well, we're going to keep going this weekend and the two more weekends after this. And my friends -- I don't know if I've ever seen this many supportive teenagers. They are just totally there for me. They're so excited about it. They want to do something to help. It's just been awesome.

KELLEY: Any other plans for anything else, Alana, after the car wash finishes up? Do you guys have any other plans in the works?

ALANA WELCH: Well, I know that we are going to have, next two Saturdays after this are going to be Wash America Saturdays, where everybody, you know, can still wash their cars if they missed it this week or whatnot, they're going to be able to next two Saturdays.

KELLEY: Wow, we're really proud of you, thinking of others, doing something about it. That's very empowering, very helpful. And so bless your efforts, and thanks for coming to talk with us. Good luck.

ASHLEY WELCH: Thank you.

AUBREY WELCH: Thank you.

ALANA WELCH: Thank you.

ALYSSA WELCH: Thank you.

KELLEY: See you, girls, thanks.

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